Earth compacting roller implement



R. G. LE TOURNEAU EARTH COMPACTING ROLLER IMPLEMENT 2 SHEETSSHEET 1 March 18, 1952 Filed Oct. 5, 1948 INVENTOR Rabi. 6.18 Tbzgrneaw ATTORNEYS March 1952 R. G. LE TOURNEAU EARTH COMPACTING ROLLER IMPLEMENT Filed Oct. 5, 1948 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 N wm ' INVENTOR Rabi. G. LeYbuzneau ATTORNEYS Patented Mar. 1 8, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE EARTH C(lMPACTING ROLLER IMPLEMENT Robert G. Le Tourneau, Longview,Tex., assignor to R. G. Le Tourneau, Inc., Stockton, Calif.,'a corporation of California Application October 5, 1948, Serial No. 52,887

3 Claims. 1

The present invention relates to, and it is an object to provide, an improved earth compacting roller implement of the general type known in the tradeas a sheeps foot roller."

Another object of the invention is to provide an earth compacting roller implement, of the type described, which is designed to accomplish maximum'compaction relative to the implement weight; there being a novel arrangement of weight boxes included in the structure.

A furtherobject of the invention is to provide an earth compacting roller implement wherein the separate end to end rollers are mounted so that the spacing therebetween is minimized, being not materially greater than the spacing transversely of the direction of travel of the tamping feet on said separate rollers. I This avoids the necessity of towing a third roller unit centrally at the rear to tamp the relatively wide, longitudinal path which is missed between the ends of the front roller units of conventional earth compacting roller implements.

An additional object of the invention is to provide the implement with a novel frame structure which permits of the aforesaid close end to end mounting of the separate rollers, while permitting of the articulation, without obstruction, of said rollers and the frame structures thereof in a transverse vertical plane.

It is also an object of the invention to provide an earth compacting roller implement which is designed for convenience and economy of manufacture, and for reliable service when in use.

A further object of the invention is to provide a practical and rugged earth compacting roller implement, and one which will be exceedingly effective for the purpose for which it is designed. These objects are accomplished by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the implement.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same.

Fig. 3 is a cross section on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawings, the improved earth compacting roller implement comprises a pair of sheeps foot type roller units disposed in adjacent end to end relation, each unit being indicated generally at I.

The roller units l are connected in end to end relation, as will hereinafter appear in detail, for hinging or articulation in a transverse vertical plane, whereby said units may best follow ground contour.

A rectangular frame, indicated generally at 2, is included in each roller unit I; the frame being elongated in the directionof travel, and including an outer side beam 3, an inner side beam 4, andadjacent each end-a pair of cross beams 5 in spaced relation.

A roller drum 6, including an'axle assembly 1, is journaled between the' outer and" inner side beams 3 and 4, respectively, of each frame 2; said axle assembly being secured to said side beams by journal blocks 8. Each roller drum 6 is of such length that at its ends is closelvapproaches, although runs clear of, the adjacent side beam of the frame. The roller drums 6 are of hollow construction, but may be adapted, if desired, to be filled with water to increase the effective weight thereof.

Each roller drum 6 is fitted exteriorly, and from end to end thereof, with a plurality of circumferential rows of tamping feetil; such rows being symmetrically spaced axially of the corresponding roller'drum. Cleaner bars l0 are fixed to the foremost one of the rear pair of cross beams 5 of each frame 2, and said cleaner bars extend at a forward and downward incline between the circumferential rows of tamping feet 9, whereby to automatically clean mud, rocks, debris, etc. from between said rows of feet upon operation of the machine and rotation of the corresponding drum 6.

Each frame 2 is fitted, front and rear, and between thecorresponding pairs of cross beams 5, with open-topped weight boxes II which extend full width of such frame. These weight boxes are ada'ptedto be filled with a heavy material, such as sand, in order to increase the operative or effective weight of the implement. I The two roller units [are connected in closely adjacent end toend relation in the following manner:

The outer and inner side beams 3 and 4 of one roller unit are disposed in a higher plane than the corresponding side beams of the other roller unit. See Fig. 3. Thus, when the roller units are brought into close end to end relation, the adjacent inner side beams 4 of said roller units are disposed in vertically spaced, although alined, relation. Such vertically spaced inner side beams 4 are fitted, adjacent opposite ends, with ears l2 which project toward each other and lap, being connected by removable pivots I3.

Such vertically spaced inner side beams 4 are relatively narrow transversely of the direction of travel, and are longitudinally chamfered, as at M, on the side adjacent the weight box ll of the other roller unit. Adjacent ends of such weight boxes I l are inclined from the corresponding inner side beam 4, as at l5, either downwardly and outwardly or upwardly and outwardly, as the case may be, in opposite relation to the corresponding longitudinal chamfering i l. The described longitudinal chamfering [4 of the inner side beams 4 and the corresponding but oppositely inclined ends of the weight boxes ll makes possible the hinging or articulating of the roller units at adjacent ends, in a transverse vertical plane, without obstruction.

By reason of the described connection between adjacent ends of the roller units l, including the relatively narrow inner side beams 4, the adjacent ends of the roller drums 6 are in such relatively close relationship to each other that the-spacing between the adjacent end rows of tamping feet 9 on said drums is not substantially greater than the spacing of the rows of feet on each drum. Theresult is that when the implement is in use there is no longitudinal path remaining untampedbetween the rollers, as in conventional implements of the type described. It is therefore unnecessary to tow a third roller unit centrally behind the leading pair, as is conventionally done to tamp any skipped longitudinal path, as above.

, A. draft tongue [6 is aflixed, by matching attachment plates i1, to the forward end of one of the inner side beams 4, and projects therefrom some distance ahead of the implement. At its front end. the draft tongue includes a hitch 118 for connection to a tractor.

The. described implement, when in use, carrying additional weight in the boxes H, and also water in the roller drums 6 if desired, imposes a tamping action on the ground with advance of such implement. The design of the implement, while being. simple, is nevertheless rugged and practical for the intended purpose. For shipment, or for transport from job to job, the draft tongue 6 may be detached by operation of the plates. I], while the roller units I are separated by removal of the pivots [3.

From the. foregoing description it will be readily seenthat there has been produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of the in-: I

vention, as set forth herein.

While thisspecification sets/forth in detail the present-and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do, not form a departure from-fthespirit; of theinvention, as defined by the appended claims- Having thus described. the invention, the following is claimed as new and useful, and upon which Letters. Patent are desired:

1. In an earth compacting roller implement, a

pair of roller frames in adjacent side by side relation transversely of the direction of travel, inner side beams included in said frames, such side beams being alined and vertically spaced, longitudinally spaced hinges connected directly between. said side beams, and a weight box con-' nected to the outer face of and extending laterally out from each side beam; said boxes being end alined, and the adjacent box ends inclining upwardly and outwardly and downwardly and outwardly", from the lower an upper side beams, respectively; said side beams being longitudinally chamfered on a slope corresponding to but opposite'that of the box ends along the faces opposite those to which the boxes are secured.

2. A ground compacting roller structure comprising apair of roller drums disposed in adjacent axially alined relation, a mounting frame for one drum comprising side beams both above the axis of said one drum, and a frame for'the other drum comprising side beams both below the axis of said other drum; there being means hingedly connecting the adjacent side beams of the frames together for articulation in a transverse vertical plane and so that said adjacent side beams are disposed in overlying relation in a common vertical plane. I 1

3. A structure as in claim 2, with weight boxes supported by the first named frame ahead of and behind the roller drum, each box including ends secured against and depending from the inner faces of the side'b'eams and the inner end sloping laterally away from the inner side'beam, weight'boxes supported by the last named frame ahead of and behind the roller drum thereof and onthe same level as the first named boxes; each' such last named box including ends secured against and upstanding from the inner faces of the side beams of said last named frame and the inner end sloping laterally away from the inner side beam"; the outer side faces of-the inner adjacent side beams of both frames being cut 'ona slope corresponding but opposed tothat of the sloping box ends which project vertically past suchbeam sides whereby to maintain maxi mum box width while allowing of articulation of the frames relative to each other.

' ROBERT G. LE TOURNEAU,

REFERENCES CITED file. of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS" Number Name Date 69,175 Burt Sept. 24, 1867 2,245,865 Le Tourneau June 17, I941 2,302,964 Le Tourneau' Nov. 24'; 1942'- The following. references. are of mm in" the 

